The Exploits of Nehemiah

Thursday 27 August
READ: Neh. 2: 7 -8
MORE LESSON: Neh. 6: 15 -16

Nehemiah was a man who did exploits. When we talk of exploits, many people think it is only for men of war but Nehemiah is an example of a man who did exploits without being a warrior. He was a slave in the kingdom of Persia where he was a cupbearer to the king. However, he had a dream that an average slave will never even think about. A slave who had no money had a dream to rebuild his nation’s fence and reinforce it. You can imagine how much it will cost to build a fence around a whole city but Nehemiah conceived the thought. Great exploits always start with having a great thought in your mind. You cannot be greater than the greatness of you vision, so people who will do exploits must dream big. You never do any exploits until you have succeeded in the place of dreaming and planning big.

Another factor that helped Nehemiah to achieve great success was that he was passionate about what he wanted to achieve. Neh. 1: 3 -4 shows this; And they said unto me, The remnant that are left of the captivity there in the province are in great affliction and reproach: the wall of Jerusalem also is broken down, and the gates thereof are burned with fire. And it came to pass, when I heard these words, that I sat down and wept, and mourned certain days, and fasted, and prayed before the God of heaven. Brilliant success does not just come because you wish for it. The passion to achieve must apprehend you, reflected in your fasting, praying, speech and countenance. A man with a great dream must have a great passion for it or else his dream will ever remain a dream. Brilliant achievements do not come to idle people. Your quest for exploits must drive you to work hard. Laziness is incompatible with doing exploits. Nehemiah made up his mind that Jerusalem must be built again, he worked at it and he achieved it.

It was his passion that made way for his performance of exploits. In Neh. 2:1 – 4, we see that he was so passionate about his dream that the passion changed his countenance without being conscious of it. The king noticed the expression on his face and asked him what he wanted. He prayed to God for favour and God crowned his desires with success. It is by the favour of God that a man is crowned with brilliant achievements. God's favour through the king met with his passionate pursuit of his dream and it became a reality. As you go out today and for the rest of your life, God's favour will rest on your efforts to achieve your dreams and you will do great exploits, in Jesus’ name.

Prayer/Action
* Say to yourself, “ I shall dream big, and God will perform it”.
* Pray about every great idea on your inside to receive the power of performance.
* Rebuke every form of road block on the pathway of your success in life.
* Give God thanks for the promised greatness He has given all His children.

PROPHETIC PRAYER
Holy Spirit of God, move into my life afresh and do new things with my destiny, in the name of Jesus.